Thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group UK and Emma Rous for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This family saga echoes the writing style of V. C. Andrews and combines it with the mysteries of Gillian Flynn. There is something lurking behind the facade of the prestigious family. Could the folklore and whispers in the village be true? Who is Seraphine? What really happened the day she and Danny were born and their mother plunged to her death?

Twins Seraphine and Danny Mayes are born on the family estate, Summerbourne, in July 1992. They are the first “summer-born twins of Summerbourne” in decades even though the family has a history of twins. There are no pictures of the twins first six months because the day they were born is also the day their mother died after jumping from a cliff. Seraphine has always been full of questions about that day, questions that are left unanswered when twenty-five years later her father dies in an accident. When she finds a picture of her parents and older brother with just one baby taken the day of her birth, Seraphine’s questions only increase. She has always felt like an outsider in her family, always been bothered by the village whispers of a stolen child and teasings of “the sprite twins” because she and her brothers look nothing alike. With her Grandmother refusing to give her answers and her brother, Edwin, too young at the time to really understand, Seraphine decides to search for Laura, the au pair who worked for the family the year prior to her birth and disappeared the same day she was born. Surely she will have the answers she craves.

One of the things I loved about this book is that for most of it I couldn’t tell where it was going. The narration is split between Seraphine in the present day and Laura who tells the story leading up to the twins birth. These alternating chapters provided details of the many different dynamics in the story between the main and secondary characters. They also increased the tension and mystery as the revelations unfolded.

The characters in this story were well written. Out of the two narrators I found Laura’s story more interesting as it was the one with the history of the family and events up until the twins’ birth. Who we are is the core of our being so I understood Seraphine’s need to know the truth about herself despite the fact it had the potential to tear her family apart. You were never sure who was a villain in this story which is something I liked. The author wrote this aspect of the plot expertly as Seraphine suspects almost everyone and has you second guessing what you know as she’s threatened to stop searching, the mystery deepens and the revelations about the family’s history and what happened that summer keep coming.

I found the book impossible to put down as I raced to the end desperate to know the truth. But just when I thought I’d got to the big reveal there were more shocking twists still to come. The Au Pair is an absorbing debut novel that kept me guessing throughout.

Thank you to Netgalley, Emma Rous and Little Brown Book Group for my arc of The Au Pair in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: within hours of the birth of Serephine and her twin Danny, their mother threw herself off the cliff in the grounds of the family estate Summerborne. Now mourning the death of her father in an accident Serephine begins to find questions about her birth, who she is, where she came from and whether she belongs at Summerborne at all. The family's Au Pair Laura disappeared the same day, now if only Serephine could find her she might get answers.

I really enjoyed this, I read it in just one sitting, staying up until 1am to finish it! The story is told from two perspectives, Serephine in modern day and Laura the Au Pair in 1991 when the incidents happened. There's a big intrigue to the plot that keeps you turning the pages and I was genuinely intrigued to know what was going on. It's not a thriller in the sense of a crime thriller but instead a family based thriller with secrets and lies that spin their webs and trap everyone inside. I was able to make some accurate guesses in places but the ending was a definite surprise and very well done.

I am suffering from serious book hangover after finishing this amazing book debut!

This is the first book in a LONG time that I have felt so deeply captivated by and truly immersed in. It had my interest piqued from the prologue and didn't waver once throughout.

The characters are extremely well thought out I could picture them clearly in my mind down to their facial expressions and how their feelings would have come across.

Seraphine's strong but sometimes frail character shone through and the question "who am i" pulled me in, haven't we all at some point sat and thought the same?

The twist to the story was not at all predictable, for once I was shocked with how it all come together which in my eyes was a winner, I love the whole 'who did it's guessing game on these psychological thrillers but am always left disappointed when I'm right.

If your looking for a book that will spin you around, throw you up in the air with its mystique and thrills and shoot you back out not knowing what the hell just happened.... this is the book for you!

Thanks to netgalley and the amazing publishers for the ARC

I don’t know where to start with this review as I’m still suffering a book hangover days after I finished it, I enjoyed it so much. I thought it was absolutely brilliant.

For some reason I had it in my head before I started it that it was historical fiction but it’s not. It is a time slip story but only a time difference of 25 years which when you get old like me passes by in a flash.

What I will say is if you read this, be prepared to devote some quality time to reading it because you’ll need to concentrate fully. It’s complicated, at least I thought so anyway. But then when families start keeping secrets, it’s bound to get complicated.

The setting is Summerbourne, a large family home in Norfolk close by to the coast. I would love to live there myself as the descriptions of the house and it’s location in a small village with a beach within walking distance sounds wonderful.

The narrative is told by both Seraphine in the present and Laura the Au Pair 25 years ago in alternating chapters. The chapters are short and at times I did get a little confused on starting a new chapter as Seraphine and Laura were so alike in personality. Added to that, the fact that most of the story takes place in the family home Summerbourne, it would sometimes take a few paragraphs into a new chapter for me to get my bearings as to what time period I was reading and who the character was telling the story. Like I said you need to give this book your full attention at all times, as it can get confusing.

In the present the book revolves around 25 year old Seraphine Mayes who has recently lost her father in an accident. She shares the family home with her brother Edwin and twin brother Danny. Her mother died on the day she and her twin brother were born. As she goes through old photo’s she stumbles upon a photo of her mother holding a baby. She looks so happy and Seraphine can’t understand why hours later her mother would choose to end her life. Neither can she understand why there is only one baby in the photo. This starts her on a search for the truth, which is where the rest of the book leads us.

The other chapters told by Laura the au pair take us back to the time when she started working for Seraphine’s mother at Summerbourne. This was prior to the twins birth and she was there to look after Edwin who was around 4 years old at the time. At a point almost towards the end of the book the two stories meet up in the middle and all the secrets and mysteries of Summerbourne and the family who live there are gradually revealed.

It’s a fascinating story with a cast of supporting characters equally important in the grand scheme of things. You end up rooting for each one of them and I don’t think there was a single character that I didn’t like. Although it’s not a programme I watch, it did remind me of Midsommer Murders in some ways. Though there are no murders and no detectives lurking round corners it had a similar feel to it. On outward appearances to anyone looking on, they seem like an idyllic family living an idyllic life but there’s tragedy and heartbreak lurking just below the surface. A fantastic book, it will take me a while to let it go completely.

I really hope the author is working on her second book, it will be interesting to see where a new book will take the reader.

I’d give this one a 3.5. I was kindly sent it from net galley and was looking forward to reading it as it had been on my wish list for a while. I did enjoy the book however I found the first half more gripping than the second half. I liked the majority of the characters and thought that they were quite strong and individual and I did find myself eager to discover the truth into the mystery of the twins. A few things did niggle me though. The mention of witches and then nothing ended up coming from this and the fact that the grandmother was accused of two murders and one attempted murder but we were left none the wiser as she never actually confessed. I was also a little confused as to why Joel’s character was so awkward and at times verging on suspicious. I presume it’s got something to do with what he thought he saw when he was a child however I felt his character was suspicious at times and it left me not particularly liking him. All in all a decent read and it’s o e I’d recommend.

Au Pair is told from 2 perspectives: Au pair herself, Laura and Seraphine, who's the rich heiress in a big, beautiful house. They are very different characters. Laura doesn't have a happy past. It was a bit difficult to be hooked to the book at first as the beginning is much slower than the second half. So, the pace is definitely better later when story picks up. I wish it was a bit more equal. The best part is how the writer described Summerbourne, it was very atmospheric, nice to read about. There are also other characters joining who were interesting.
There were surprises, but it was a bit predictable. Yet, it was a nice read.
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and the publisher for granting this copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I like books about twins and this one has an abundance of them!

The characters are likeable and well rounded. I was kept guessing all the way through the book as to what had actually happened as there were so many twists and turns. I liked the way that new characters and new ideas were introduced and found the whole story very intriguing.

If you are a fan of mysteries and books set in different time periods, you will enjoy this- it's a cracking read. I look forward to reading more of this author's work. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy!

"The Au Pair" is written by Emma Rous and is her debut book. All in all, it's a decent first time novel that I certainly enjoyed, although there were moments of implausibility that I had my doubts over.
"Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother, Danny, were born in the middle of summer at their family's estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs and the au pair fled. Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises dangerous questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is smiling serenely and holding just one baby. Who is the child, and what really happened that day?"
I was intrigued from the first chapter and though a little slow I did want to avidly see the story through to the end. The alternating chapters are told through Laura, the family's au pair in 1992 and present day Seraphine as she deals with the unfolding revelations. I did prefer Laura's story the best but that's because we were learning more and more of what happened back in 1992 when the twins were born and Ruth died. I couldn't work out myself what had occurred so it was an intriguing plot reveal if a little convoluted.
The story was a nice simple read with a few twists and turns as the story progressed. There were a couple of implausible moments for me - the birthing scenarios were ridiculously impractical and I was a little sceptical at the amount of twins there were in the story - but it was still a decent mystery that had me hooked and entertained throughout.
I liked all the characters and could understand Seraphine's determination to discover the truth at all costs. I particularly liked Joel, however all characters played their parts exceedingly well and were a pleasure to engage with.
As a debut novel in the women's mystery fiction/family drama genre, I believe this is an excellent first outing in the literary world. I would happily read more by this author as I understand she's currently working on a second novel. If you're after a nice, easy and undemanding read this summer, you'd be hard pushed to find a better book.

3.5/4 stars

5 STARS!! This book is excellent! I was hooked right from the start and how the different characters all fit in with each other. I would 100% recommend this book and thank you to netgalley and the author for the pleasure of reading it

The premise of this novel piqued my interest and the first two chapters started well, but then it just fizzled into a mediocre read. There is nothing desperately wrong with the writing style, however there was very little depth to the characters and the plot felt melodramatic and cliched. This thriller just failed to thrill me.

Au-pair Laura, with her not so happy past, and Seraphine, heiress to wealth - and a beautiful large house - are two completely different characters. We read the story through their eyes and although there are some surprises, you can see the end coming from miles away. I wish the book had the same pace in the first half as it has in the second half. Except from Seraphine and Laura there are other characters that play an important role in the book but neither of them gets the same depth as Laura and Seraphine. The setting is very nice; you can almost see Summerbourne before your eyes and the author makes it perfectly clear why the house is so important.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown for this digital review copy.

I really enjoyed this book. It was very different to what I was expecting. I had in mind it would be a typical psychological thriller but it was very much a domestic, slightly gothic thriller. Set in the stunning world of Summerbourne on the Norfolk coast, the family home for decades. Serephine lost her mum on the day her and her twin were born. After finding a photograph of her mum that day holding one baby instead of two she starts to doubt her identity. The person who may hold the answers is the older brother Edwins' au pair at the time of the twins birth. I loved the style of writing and the slightly old fashioned feel to the story. A really unique and satisfying ending.

Did not finish. Plot moves ridiculously slow and at over 30% of the way through it hasn't managed to capture me. It's not badly written but I'm left disappointed. I was expecting more.

I really enjoyed this book which explores how secrets from the past echo through the years.
The Mayes family live at Summerbourne and the book begins just after a funeral. Three adult children and a grandmother remain but it is Seraphine, the only daughter and twin to Danny who feels things aren’t right although she cannot really say why
So she begins to investigate and the book flips between the time just before the twins birth and Seraphine today.
This book is occasionally dark but not overly so, it is hypnotic, compelling and reminiscent of “last night I dreamt of Manderley again”,

I had to mark this book as “did not finish” which I hate to do. It’s not badly written but the story didn’t grip me at all to the point where it was just too hard going to keep going. The story centres around a family that has had a lot of mysterious deaths and the (now adult) daughter suspects her childhood au pair had something to do with it. Normally if I found a book that hard going I’d skip forward to find out the end but I just didn’t care at all about this one.

I really, really loved this book! From the first page I was hooked and Rous's voice and writing style was what drew me in - it had echoes of Daphne du Maurier and also Beatriz Williams, both of whom I adore.

The story itself focuses on family secrets at their home 'Summerborne' with the protagonist unsure of who she really is after unearthing a photo which suggests all she thought she knew may not be the truth. Although I figured out where the story was heading it didn't hinder my enjoyment at all.

A captivating read.

I enjoyed this book. After the death of her father, Seraphine becomes increasingly convinced that there is a mystery surrounding the births of her twin brother and herself. Why is there a photo of her mother with just one baby, and how does the au pair at the time fit in to the story? Told in 2 time frames, this is a good mystery that will keep you guessing to the end. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Seraphine Mayes and her twin brother Danny were born in the middle of summer at their family’s estate on the Norfolk coast. Within hours of their birth, their mother threw herself from the cliffs, the au pair fled, and the village thrilled with whispers of dark cloaks, changelings, and the aloof couple who drew a young nanny into their inner circle.

Now an adult, Seraphine mourns the recent death of her father. While going through his belongings, she uncovers a family photograph that raises dangerous questions. It was taken on the day the twins were born, and in the photo, their mother, surrounded by her husband and her young son, is beautifully dressed, smiling serenely, and holding just one baby.

Who is the child and what really happened that day?

One person knows the truth, if only Seraphine can find her.

As I said, there has been a ton of hype for this book and there is always a part of me that worries when I hear a lot of hype. It’s been all over my social media lately and I just hoped that I didn’t make a mistake agreeing to read this book so early on…..I started to get worried that maybe this book wouldn’t live up to the hype.

In my experience big hype books have been about 50/50 so I was worried and honestly not really that excited to read this book as the date drew near.

It was a strong, thriller and it also had a number of gothic elements that made it even more thrilling to read. I was completely wrapped up in the story and characters and eager to see how things resolved. there are mysteries, dark family secrets and truths, lies, and deception. This book was fantastically written and was a quick read.

There were a lot of different plot twists and things happening so that I was anxiously turning the page to find out what happened. This is Rous’s first novel and I am impressed by her writing style and story weaving. I am eager to read more by her, I loved how I was guessing at the plot and who the twins belonged to all the way up until the end, and I loved how dark and twisted this story was. Unfortunately, I found the ending unneccessarily complicated and it really didn't need to be so complex. It was a let down for me after enjoying the book so much. I'm not disappointed I read the book, but it didn't live up to the hype for me.

The Au Pair by Emma Rous

From the beginning you know basically find out what the read is more or less about, which to some can be the absolute worst. It does take away a lot of the need and anticipation to know more when things are given to us too early. Some may say a wasted read even.

I liked the book. It was a lazy day read with a great theme and plot on family life and the nastiness and secrets that they come with. Mini bursts of fastness every so often helped to keep it alive. However, a few things niggled my me throughout and I hate to be that person, but I am here to tell the truth.

The timings baffled me during it though because it covered such a huge amount of years and it was done so fast with massive jumps.
I also really didn't like the folklore tale business. To me it made absolutely no sense whatsoever. It being a constant part of the read made it even more strange when it had absolutely nothing at all to do with anything.
It's a shame as all it needed was a little more depth and scandal to push us into a tizzy of ‘oh my god', or ‘shit, what will happen next'. Kind of thing.

I do have to give credit though for the plot and pace of the read. I’m not really one for a to-and-fro book from two different perspectives and times, but this one seamlessly fitted and did not have you wondering if you had missed anything out. Or stop when it got good to move onto the next person/year. That ease helps a book so much. The plot even though slow does keep you intrigued if only slightly, but it is there and that is the main thing.
Character wise I found it hard to connect to Seraphine and enjoyed Laura’s parts so much more. It would have been so good to have been able to get older Laura’s thoughts in too though.

This would be a great beach read though. One you can definitely relax through and go back too when you're ready. Taking in the scandal, mystery and loyalty of the Mayes family at their spectacular Summerbourne home. Like us all, nobody knows what goes on behind the closed doors of people's homes, but this family don't even know what's behind their own.

3/5

The ideas behind this story were great and it could have been amazing but unfortunately the execution fell very short. I didn't understand why the main character did half the things she did as her motivations weren't well thought through or explained. One moment she's be talking in the kitchen the next she was driving halfway across the country and i didn't understand it.